The second stage of the 34th Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge rally, under the aegis of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed al-Nahyan, representing the government of the Al-Dhafra region, has concluded. Participants covered a total distance of 302 km, of which 228 km was designated as a special stage in the stunning southern region of the Liwa oasis in the Al-Dhafra area.
Motorcycle rider Daniel Sanders from the Red Bull KTM team took first place in the motorcycle race, completing the stage with a lead of 3 minutes and 59 seconds over Jose Ignacio Cornejo from Hero Motorsports, and more than five minutes ahead of Adrien Van Beveren from Monster Energy Honda. The leader after the first stage, Tosa Sheren, was forced to open the road for other riders, complicating his navigation, and he finished in a seat, yielding his place in the overall standings to new leader Sanders and his teammate from the Red Bull KTM team, Luciano Benavides.
In the Rally 2 motorcycle category, Michael Jockeri from SRG Motorsports secured victory, taking first place for the third time, outperforming Tobias Ibestera from SRG Motorsports and Konrad Dabrowski from the Desert Rally Team.
In the car category, Sebastian Loeb from Dacia SandRider claimed victory, overtaking his teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah. However, later, the Qatari racer received a penalty, finishing third behind the overall stage winner Lucas Moraes from Toyota Gazoo Racing.
Adnoc Distribution representative Badr Saeed al-Lamki expressed pride in participating in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge rally. The General Director of the Emirates Motorsport Organization, Khalid bin Sulaym, acknowledged the complexity of the route, expressing gratitude to Adnoc Distribution for their support.
Tomorrow, the third stage of the rally titled "Ain End" will commence, which is considered one of the most challenging stages of 2025 due to extreme conditions in the region. Participants will have to pass through the Al-Kua zone, known for its laboriousness, where there will be no mechanical assistance or spare parts, making this stage a true test of resilience.
